Safety attachment



J 1949. l. D. HO'USEMAN 8,

SAFETY ATTACHMENT 1 Filed Sept. 10, 1947 VISAACDI. HOUSEMAN.

BY HTTO/F/Vfy Patented Jan. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETYATTACHMENT Isaac Houseman, Cleveland, Ohio Application September10,1947, Serial No. 773,141

3 Cl m This invention relates to a safety attachment for a workman whenemployed on a scafiolding or other support operatively disposed at theside of a wall or building structure; where such supporting equipment isused it has been the practice to provide a life line for the workman tomanuall grasp in the event the scaffold for any reason drops or isdisplaced. However, it is apparent that if an accident occurs withoutwarning or the workman is beyond the'reach of the life line, he will beunable to grasp the latter. The safety attachment herein disclosedprovides a connection between the Workman and the life line, so that inthe event of an accident, such as (a) the scaffold or support and/or itssupporting means fall or break, (b) the scaffold or support is displaced(for exampladue to the raising of some equipment), or (c) the workmanloses his balance and falls off the scalfold' the workman isautomatically prevented from falling.

For purposes of illustrating the preferred application of the invention,the workman'is shown standing on a scaffold, which may be raised andlowered by suitable block and tackle, associated with a life lineattached to and depending from a; a high point of the wall or buildingstructure provide an (Ail) improved safety attachment for a workman,hav- 8:35

ing co-acting clamping elements for engaging the life line, one of theelements being movable and biased by a spring, whereby the attachment isadjustably connected to the life line, the workman being connected tothe movable clamping element so that in the event of an accident theweight of his body operates through this element to effect a positivegripping of the life line by the clamping elements with sufficientpressure or grip to prevent the workman from falling.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved safetyattachment embodying certain improvements in the form of constructionshown in my co-pending application Ser. No. 745,566, filed May 2, 1947.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart to which my invention relates from the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawing,

wherein r as Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective viewof a buildingstructure and a scaffold suspended in operative relation thereto,showing a workman on the scaffold, the workman being connected to thelife line byan attachment embodying my invention. a

'Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the clamping mechanism mounted inadjusted position on the life line, parts being broken away. I

Fig.3isatop plan view.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation looking toward the right of Fig.2. 1

Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing a modification.

In thedrawing, l indicates as an entirety a portion. of a buildingstructure. 2 indicates as an entirety a scaffold adjust-ably suspendedby the usual block-and-tackle 3 in operative relationto the structure I;4 indicates'a safety or life line (preferably consisting of a rope)secured at its upper end to a high point of the structure or otherelevated support and depending therefrom to a point adjacent or belowthe lowest position to which the scaffold may belowered. The life line 4is preferably disposed midway between the opposite ends of the scaffold2 and may be related thereto on its inner or outer side.

The safety attachment consists of a belt 5 suitably bound around theworkmans body, a clamping mechanism indicated as an entirety at 6 and .aflexible connection 1 (such as a rope or chain) of anyv desired. lengthdetachably connected at its opposite ends to the belt 5 and mechanism 6.The belt 5 may be provided with suitable straps 5a adapted to extendover the workmans shoulders to hold the belt in place; in the event thescaffold drops orthe Workman falls off therefrom and is suspended by thelife line, as later set forth; the straps and belt together support theworkman in suspended position without undue binding or pressure effecton his body, as would otherwise result if the belt 5 only were used. Theclamping mechanism 6 consists of the following:' B-indicates a barprovided at its upper and lower ends with laterally extending pairs ofarms 9, ll], which straddle the life line 4 to maintain it in positionat. all'times, the outer ends of the arms 9 being reinforced by legs 9a.As the pairs of arms 9, ID, are relatively spaced, they guide themechanism 6 endwise of the life line 4 when. being adjusted relativethereto. The parts referred to are preferably formed integrally,

and below the arms 9 is shaped to provide a clamping element H, the faceof which is of concave shape and suitably knurled to insure frictionalcontact with the life line 4. By preference, the clamping element llconsists of a section of metal welded to the bar 8. l2 indicates arocker of substantially bell-crank shape dis posed between the arms 9and fulcrumed on a pivot pin [3 extending through alined openingsformed. in the outer' end portions .of the arms 9. The pin I3 isprovided at one end with a head Ba and with a device |3b-such as acotter pinat its opposite end, the head |3a and device 13b serving tolimit the endwise-movementof the pin but permitting it to be removed forcooperate with the clamping element II to engage the life line betweenthem, the-outer face of the arm He is substantially concave in crosssection and knurled to insure adequate frictional contact with the lifeline 4. Therother" arm Mb of the rocker I2 is connected to one endof :aspring M. The opposite-end of thespringti's anchored toa lug maxintegral-1y connected to one of the arms Hi. The spring l4 servesifiGiPEOGk the rocker l2 counterclockwise, asviewed in Fig. 2-,, andthus-efiect engagement of-theclamping element 20; with the'life-xli'nelrAs shown. the arm 12b is relatively long. as. compared- .to the arm. 12atoprovide adequate: leverage: in operation and the spring I4 is of asizei-amii strength tomaintainthe clamping element 112a .againststhelife line and in opposition to the clamping :ele-

ment H under pressure-to secure thesmechanism '6 to thesliie linerlin-zany. adjusted-2 positiomthereof that is, the frictional: engagement:of the clamping elements H and .l-Za with life line I, under theinfluence of the spring L4,. exceeds: the tendency of the mechanism .6due to. its' Weight and that of the connection 1 togravitate. .Byswinging or rocking the'ro cker' 1:2" clockwismxthe clamping element 21ais :disengagedrifronr life line 4; when the life line '4 is.di'sengagedinathis manner, the mechanism 6 may be .bodily-..adjusted'endwise of the life line:v 15 indicates a link pivotally connected atits-upper: end-to: the outer end portion of the rocker arm 1222:; thisconnection is showntas a ring 11:6, buts-may con;- sist of a .clevis;The link tidependsdownwamdt- 1y, substantially in the" plane; of the?bar-1& and.

between the arms Ill to" a'point helowthe latter, thelower end of thelink titer-minating-iinze ring i5a,'towhich. the outerzend oftheconncction 1 is detachably connected by suitable iasterring means,such .as' a: snap hook 1:1". Where: a snap hook I! or other equivalent.diEVihExiS not used, the end port-ion of the flexible connection I maybe inserted through the: ring I 5a; and tied into a knot. The linkr-l5.- 1811 held. mthinvthe arms H1 by a pin t8 removably supported: in.aiined openings formed in the: outer end. portions of the arms It. By.preferencegthe pin. 1'8 is. provided withza. roller I811 to.reducefrictionnomthe link 15 during operation thereof to. rock therocker: I'E". The mountin'giort'thes-pih [8 is preiier ably similar tothatprovided forthepivotpin. 1:3. The pins I3 and It are. removablesohthat when initially hanging or connectihg the mechanism 6' on thelife line 4 the rocker" .|L2",. linl litand reeving the life line in: orthrough. the pairs-cf .75 m on arms 9, I 0, and between the clampingelements H, 12a. When the scaffold 2 is to be raised or lowered to a newworking elevation, the link I5 is moved upwardly by the workman to rockthe rocker l2, clockwise, in opposition to the spring I, to disengagethe clamping elements I l, l2a, from the life line 4; the mechanism 6 isthen adjusted endwise thereof to a new position and the link l5 releasedfrom the hand or hands of thevrc-rlnnan topermiti the spring M tooperate the rocker l2 counter-clockwise, whereby the mechanism isre-engaged with the life line 4 and held in fixed relation thereto.

Operation.-When the mechanism 6 is initially connected to the life line,as above set forth, it is" adjusted thereon to the desired heighth.fliherworkmanmay then don the belt 5 and attach the flexible member I tothe belt and to the ring l-5a-to insure his safety. In the event of anaccident, such as herein referred to, it will be evident that the:weight of the workmans bodywill exert ;a downward pull through theconnection; 1. andlink t5, and. the latter will rock the. rocker.countereclockwise and cause an increaseidigripping. efi'ect by theclamping elements ll, |:2a-,. on the life line 4, and hence prevent theworlnnan: from: falling beyond a level limited by'length-of theconnectionv .i from the position v0t the mechanism 6*.

Fig.5? shows a. modified form of construction, wherein. the upperend ofthe. link 15 is provided withn-biturcations vNib which straddle the arm:lib of. the rocker t2? and: are pivotally and removably.cmmectedtheretmby the'pin t3.

Tothcsezskilled in the art to which my invention. relates .many changesin construction .andzwidely .difiering. embodiments and applications ofthe invention will suggest themselves without. departing: firom thespiritv and scope thereon. My disclosures.andithedescriptionherearerpurely'illustrative and are not intended tohe'in' any;- sense'lirniting'.

Whatd? claim-is;

1. lnzsafety means fora workman while'working omascafiold, the.combination with .av safety line-oi? :a mechanism arranged to beadjustably supportedz on; said: safety line, saidv mechanism consisting"of-a: vertically disposed bar provided with, :upperand? lower alinedpairs of laterally extending: arms: through which the safety lineextends; .a; lever-.iulcrumed on and between said upperipair of. arms,clamping elements. carried by said bar and the inner arm of said leverin opposed relation and arranged? to engage and disengage. .said safetyline, a spring connected to theioutel'marmof said; lever and arranged.to: swing .said'llevenin aidirecti'on .to eftect engagement of.saidielements with said; safety line under pressure. whereby'sazidimechanism is adiustably fixed twandsupported: on said line, and an.operating rod piizotally connected to theouter arm of said lever and.depending therefrom. and through said lower. of arms. and guided therebyand adapted to be connected to-the workman, said rod when; moved: in adirection in opposition to the tensionofsaidespring serving todis'en'gage the clamping elements from the safety line and when moved inthe opposite direction due tothe weight 'of the wcrk'man .in falling,serving to efiect' a rigid clamping engagement of the clampingelement's-with said-safety line; whereby the workman" is held i'n'asuspended position on said safety line.-

'2'. In safety means fora workmanwhile worka scafiold, the combinationwith a safety line, of a mechanism arranged to be adjustably clamped tothe safety line, said mechanism consisting of a vertically disposed barprovided with upper and lower alined pairs of laterally extending armsthrough which the safety line extends. a lever fulcrumed on and betweensaid upper pair of arms, clamping elements carried by said bar and theinner arm of said lever in opposed relation and arranged to engage anddisengage said safety line, a spring connected to the outer arm of saidlever and arranged to swing said lever in a direction to effectengagement of said clamping elements with said safety line underpressure, whereby said mechanism is adiustably fixed to and supported bysaid line, an operating rod pivotally connected to the outer arm of saidlever and extending therefrom through said lower pair of arms andadapted to be connected to the workman, said rod when moved in adirection in opposition to the tension of said spring serving todisengage the clamping elements from said safety line and when moved inthe opposite direction due to the weight of the workman in fallingserving to efiect a rigid clamping engage- REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 294,629 Jenkins Mar. 4, 1884382,574 Westbrook May 8, 1888 462,081 Henning Oct. 27, 1891 926,430Luckett June 29, 1909 1,576,210 Nickson Mar. 9, 1926

